Should Physician Assisted Suicide Be Legalized Essay

Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) is where a physician helps out critical condition patients who want to end their lives. This work is disputable, with people arguing that it provides patients another option to end their suffering. Although people who oppose Physician Assisted Suicide say it shortens human lives, it should be legalized since it helps people end their lives easily and effectively.
Opponents of physician-assisted suicide insist it contravenes the Hippocratic Oath, which forbids doctors to damage or permit harm to their patients. For the Journal of Palliative Medicine, Dr. Daniel Sulmasy asserts it is “incompatible with the physician’s role as healer, impossible to regulate, and would pose serious societal risks.” (Sulmasy) Additionally,

A survey of physicians conducted by the Canadian Medical Association found that "a significant proportion of respondents reported that they had been asked for assistance in dying by patients whose primary motivation appeared to be loneliness, lack of social support, or perceived burden on others" (Downar et al., 2017). This means that if physician-assisted suicide is legalized, at-risk people could be vulnerable to coercion or abuse. Opponents say allowing doctors to assist in suicide would undermine their role as healers and could lead to unwanted or unnecessary deaths, or a loss of respect for human life. The American Psychological Association echoes these concerns and highlights the major risks associated with such decisions. Among those concerns are, “Depression causing a desire for death,” “A loss of autonomy and function causing a desire for control,” and “worries about future pain” (Weir). However, physician-assisted suicide supporters argue that precautionary rules and protocols can ensure the safety of vulnerable individuals. Following ethical practices is important to preserve the patient’s dignity of death. As the Death with Dignity National Center notes, "there has been no evidence of abuse or coercion" in the states where physician-assisted suicide is legal (Death with Dignity National Center, n.d.). Despite this, there are fears the doctor/caregiver relationship may become weakened if Physician Assisted Suicide is legalized, according to the American Bar Association (American Bar Association, 2003). For those who suffer from their illnesses and are tired of available treatments, or even multiple treatments, however, advocates say physician-assisted suicide is a compassionate